The conference on Engineering Cell Biology - The Cell in Context is a cooperative effort between the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) and Engineering Conferences International (ECI) that will be held July 15-18, 2005, at the University of Washington, Seattle. This conference will address the fusion of cell biology and engineering approaches to understand and exploit receptor-mediated cell-cell, cell-matrix, and cell-growth factor interactions. It will cover a broad range of related topics including cell signaling, cell adhesion and migration, and quantitative and computational approaches. A major goal of this conference is to provide a forum for discussion of the basic cell biological and engineering principles that underlie cell interactions with their surroundings. How these principles define the architecture, organization, and function of cells and tissues in vivo will be compared to the effects of engineered substrates, biomaterials, and protein mimetics on cell functions in a synthetic environment. Cross-talk between cell biologists and bioengineers will help us to define areas of common interest where we can merge our expertise and make headway in understanding how to manipulate cell functions as well as to develop new tools and devices. As there are very few meetings that bridge these areas, a conference that combines expertise and introduces techniques from both disciplines will provide a unique atmosphere for productive exchange.